Research Group

Postdocs and Research Fellows

Dr Alice Trevail – University of Exeter (2021–2026). Project title: Birds without borders or isolated islands? Connectivity of Chagos seabirds. Funded by the Bertarelli Foundation.

PhD

Sabiya Sheikh – University of Exeter (2024–2028). Thesis title: "Mapping forage fish and seabird interactions on the Isles of Scilly to maximise conservation gains". Kristian Metcalfe (UoE) and Alice Trevail (UoE).

Vance Mak – University of Exeter (2023–2027). Thesis title: "Predicting regional vulnerability of threatened seabirds to offshore wind energy developments". Supervised with Cat Horswill (ZSL/UCL), Alice Trevail (UoE), Simon Neill (Bangor University), Sion Roberts (The Crown Estate) and Stu Bearhop (UoE).

Debs Allbrook – University of Exeter (2022–2026). Thesis title: "Ecology and sustainable management of gulls on offshore platforms". Supervised with Alice Trevail (UoE), Richard Delahay (RSKBiocensus), John Swaddle (College of William & Mary),  Stu Bearhop (UoE) and Robbie McDonald (UoE).

Kirsty Laurenson – Heriot-Watt University (2021–2025). Thesis title: "Impact of increased storminess on seabird demographics". Supervised with Matt Wood (University of Gloucestershire),  Andy White (Heriot-Watt University) and Steve Votier (Heriot-Watt University).

Postdocs and Research Fellows

Dr Stephen Lang – Postdoc, University of Exeter (2021–2022): "Interactions between anthropogenic pressures and African penguin foraging behaviour and population dynamics". Funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts and OWCN.

PhD

Jacqueline Glencross – 2025, University of St Andrews. Thesis title: " The impacts of fishing on the foraging behaviour of African penguins". Supervised with Andy Brierley* and Debbie Russell (University of St Andrews).

*Andy sadly died in early 2024 after a short battle with cancer (see https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-024-02415-7) and Debbie kindly took over as Jacqui's supervisor at St Andrews.

Dr Jennifer Grigg — 2025, University of Exeter. Thesis title: "Improving Demographic Insights to Enhance Conservation of the Endangered African penguin Spheniscus demersus". Supervised with Steve Votier (Heriot-Watt University), Dave Hodgson (UoE) and Grainne McCabe (formerly Bristol Zoological Society).

Jenny also completed her MSc (2016) at the University of Bristol under my co-supervision, along with that Marc Holderied (UoB) and Gráinne McCabe (Bristol Zoological Society). Title: "Monitoring the African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) for conservation: Evaluating the effectiveness of spatial fisheries management and investigating relationships between foraging behaviour and reproductive success". 

Some of the results from Jenny's MSc thesis were published in Proceedings B [LINK].

Dr Molly Margaret Kressler – 2024, University of Exeter. Thesis title: "Advancing marine ecological research: novel framework and methods for elasmobranch research in coastal and open-ocean systems". Supervised with Sasha Dall (UoE), Dave Hodgson (UoE) and Matthew Smukall (Bimini Biological Field Station).

Molly has published two papers from her PhD so far, one in ICES Journal of Marine Science [LINK] and one in Ecological Indicators [LINK].

Molly is currently an Education & Scholarship Lecturer in the CEC!

Dr Stephanie Good — 2023, University of Exeter. Thesis title: "Setting a global standard for estimating fisheries’ impacts on seabirds: what constitutes ‘best practice’?" Supervised with Rachel Turner (UoE), Richard Phillips (British Antarctic Survey) and Steve Votier (Heriot-Watt University).

Steph published two papers from her PhD, one in Biological Conservation [LINK] and one in Endangered Species Research [LINK].

Dr Amanda Kuepfer — 2023, University of Exeter. Thesis title: "Seabird-fisheries interactions – The importance of fisheries in shaping the ecology of black-browed albatrosses in the Falkland Islands". Supervised with Stu Bearhop (UoE), Paulo Catry (ISPA - Instituto Universitário) and Steve Votier (Heriot-Watt University).

Amanda published three papers from her PhD, in Biological Conservation [LINK], ICES Journal of Marine Science [LINK], and Marine Biology [LINK].

Dr Pete Carr — 2021, University of Exeter. Thesis title: "Exploring the benefits of a tropical, large-scale marine protected area for breeding seabirds, per mare, per terram". Supervised with Malcolm Nicoll (ZSL), Heather Koldewey (ZSL) and Steve Votier (Heriot-Watt University).

Pete published a number of papers from his PhD, including this one in Bird Conservation International [LINK].

Dr Davide Gaglio — 2017, University of Cape Town. Title: "Investigating the foraging ecology and energy requirements of a seabird population increasing in an intensely exploited marine environment". Supervised with Timothée Cook (BlueSeeds) and Peter Ryan (UCT).

Davide published an amazing 8 papers from his PhD, including papers in Methods in Ecology and Evolution [LINK], Behavioral Ecology [LINK] and Scientific Reports [LINK].

Davide now works as a Park Lands & Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Adelaide, South Australia. And he is also an award-winning photographer to boot! 

Dr Kate Campbell — 2016, University of Cape Town. Title: "Factors influencing the foraging behaviour of African Penguins (Spheniscus demersus) provisioning chicks at Robben Island, South Africa". Supervised with Antje Steinfurth (UCT, now RSPB), Rob Crawford (Department of Environmental Affairs, now retired) and Les Underhill (UCT, now retired).

Kate published two papers from her PhD thesis in Journal of Applied Ecology [LINK] and Ostrich [LINK].

Kate currently works as a Biologist for Environment Canada and Climate Change.

Masters by Research

Rebecca Miller — 2020, University of the Western Cape. Title: "The effects of anthropogenic disturbance upon African penguin mainland colonies". Supervised with Lorien Pichegru (Nelson Mandela University), Lauren Waller (CapeNature) and Gavin Maneveldt (UWC).

Some of the results from Rebecca's MSc thesis were published in Conservation Physiology [LINK].

Barbara Barham — 2017, University of Bristol. Title: "Nest site fidelity of the African penguin (Spheniscus demersus)". Supervised with Innes Cuthill (UoB).

Leanne Tol — 2016, University of Cape Town. Title: Factors impacting the breeding success of African penguins Spheniscus demersus on Robben Island. Supervised with Les Underhill and Peter Barham (University of Bristol, now retired).

Leanne now works as a Programme Coordinator for the Island Nature Trust, Canada.

Dr Joanne Morten — 2015, University of Bristol. Title: "Linking body condition of African penguin Spheniscus demersus chicks to begging calls, rehabilitation success and occurrence of mass abandonment". Supervised with Marc Holderied (UoB) and Christoph Schwitzer (Bristol Zoological Society).

Jo published some of the results of her MSc in Animal Conservation [LINK].

Jo completed a PhD with Lucy Hawkes at the University of Exeter in 2023 and went on to work as a Marine Science Officer with BirdLife International.

Philna Botha — 2014, University of Cape Town. Title: "The effects of prey availability on the endangered bank cormorant Phalacrocorax neglectus". Supervised with Timothée Cook, Peter Ryan and Les Underhill.

Some results from Philna's MSc thesis were published in Conservation Biology [LINK] and Conservation Physiology [LINK].

Dr Corlia Meyer — 2014, University of Cape Town. Title: "The endangered bank cormorant Phalacrocorax neglectus: the heat is on. Understanding the effect of climate change and associated environmental variable changes on the breeding biology and population dynamics of the bank cormorant". Supervised with Timothee Cook, Peter Ryan and Les Underhill.

Some results from Corlia's MSc thesis were published in Conservation Physiology [LINK].

Corlia is now a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Stellenbosch.

PG Taught (MSci and MSc) students

• James Chatfield – 2023/24, University of Exeter. 

• Amí Jewell — 2022/23, University of Exeter. Some of Amí's analysis contributed to a paper in Seabird [LINK].

• Vance Mak — 2022/23, University of Exeter.

• Lucy Whitelegg — 2022/23, University of Exeter.

• Grace Corcoran — 2021/22, University of Exeter.

• Molly Fairclough — 2021/22, University of Exeter.

• Nicole Sammartino — 2021/22, University of Exeter.

• Ben Tutt-Leppard — 2020/21, University of Exeter.

• Charlie Cooper — 2020/21, University of Exeter.

• Fletcher Noble — 2020/21, University of Exeter.

• Freddie Leith — 2020/21, University of Exeter. Freddie's MSc was published in Ecology and Evolution [LINK].

• Amber Morgan — 2019/20, University of Exeter.

• Hannah Ladd-Jones — 2016/17, University of Exeter. Hannah's MSc laid the foundation for a paper in Fish and Fisheries [LINK].

• Greg Campbell — 2013/14, University of Cape Town.

BSc Project Students

• Owen Davies — 2023/24, University of Exeter.

• Izzy Harrington — 2022/23, University of Exeter.

• Molly Glendon — 2022/23, University of Exeter.

• Joe Walker — 2022/23, University of Exeter.

• Jessica Bouron — 2021/22, University of Exeter.

• Annabell Clark — 2020/21, University of Exeter.

• Henry Gould — 2020/21, University of Exeter.

• Ignacio De Saint-Malo — 2020/21, University of Exeter.

• Lucy Ward — 2020/21, University of Exeter.

• Oscar Bates — 2020/21, University of Exeter.

• Rose Gallagher — 2018/19, University of Exeter.

• Jordan-Laine Calder — 2011/12, University of Cape Town.

• Jennifer Roberts — 2011/12, University of Cape Town.